her cross the alcove to the door of the outer room, and
heard the bolt withdrawn followed by the voice of a man mingled
with that of the girl. The tones of both seemed rational so that
he might have been listening to an ordinary conversation in some
foreign tongue. Yet with the gruesome experiences of the day behind
him, he could not but momentarily expect some insane outbreak from
beyond the hangings.

He was aware from the sounds that the two had entered the alcove,
and, prompted by a desire to know what manner of man he might
next have to contend with, he slightly parted the heavy folds that
hid the two from his view and looking out saw them sitting on the
couch with their arms about each other, the girl with the same
expressionless smile upon her face that she had vouchsafed him.
He found he could so arrange the hangings that a very narrow slit
between two of them permitted him to watch the actions of those in
the alcove without revealing himself or increasing his liability
of detection.

He saw the girl lavishing her kisses upon the newcomer, a much
younger man than he whom Smith-Oldwick had dispatched. Presently
the girl disengaged herself from the embrace of her lover as though
struck by a sudden memory. Her brows puckered as in labored thought
and then with a startled expression, she threw a glance backward
toward the hidden niche where the Englishman stood, after which she
whispered rapidly to her companion, occasionally jerking her head
in the direction of the niche and on several occasions making a
move with one hand and forefinger, which Smith-Oldwick could not
mistake as other than an attempt to describe his pistol and its
use.

It was evident then to him that she was betraying him, and without
further loss of time he turned his back toward the hangings and
commenced a rapid examination of his hiding place. In the alcove
the man and the girl whispered, and then cautiously and with great
stealth, the man rose and drew his curved saber. On tiptoe he
approached the hangings, the girl creeping at his side. Neither
spoke now, nor was there any sound in the room as the girl sprang
forward and with outstretched arm and pointing finger indicated
a point upon the curtain at the height of a man's breast. Then
she stepped to one side, and her companion, raising his blade to
a horizontal position, lunged suddenly forward and with the full
weight of his body and his right arm, drove the sharp point through
the h